The Advertising Maverick Who Changed Madison Avenue: The Remarkable Story of Mary Wells Lawrence
Mary Wells Lawrence (1928-2024) transformed the advertising industry while shattering corporate America's glass ceiling. As founder of Wells Rich Greene and the first female CEO of a New York Stock Exchange-listed company, Lawrence pioneered a creative revolution that redefined how brands connect with consumers.
Early Life: From Department Store Dreams to Madison Avenue
Born Mary Georgene Berg on May 25, 1928, in Youngstown, Ohio, Lawrence began her career as a copywriter for McKelvey's department store after studying at Carnegie Institute of Technology (now Carnegie Mellon University) from 1946 to 1948. The retail experience taught her how to craft compelling narratives around everyday products. As Lawrence later reflected, "Department stores taught me how to create a climate on a newspaper page that attracts an experienced customer...how to build a strong and lasting image."[1]
Moving to New York City in 1952, Lawrence rapidly ascended through the advertising ranks. By age 24, she became Macy's fashion advertising manager before transitioning to McCann Erickson in 1953, where she joined Jack Tinker's creative team as a "Tinker's Thinker."[2]
"Advertising that isn't innovative is like kissing someone through a veil. You know something's happening, but it isn't quite making contact," Lawrence remarked, revealing her philosophy that would revolutionize the industry.[3]
Breaking Boundaries: The Birth of Wells Rich Greene
Lawrence's career reached a pivotal moment in 1965 with her groundbreaking work for Braniff International Airways. Tasked with revitalizing the struggling airline, she conceived "The End of the Plain Plane" campaign—a comprehensive rebranding strategy that transformed every customer touchpoint.
Collaborating with Italian designer Emilio Pucci, she introduced vibrant aircraft liveries and multi-layered stewardess uniforms that could be modified during flights, creating a sensory spectacle that increased Braniff's brand recognition by 300% within two years.[4]
When denied the presidency at Jack Tinker and Partners despite this success, Lawrence made a decisive move. In 1966, at age 38, she founded Wells Rich Greene (WRG) with partners Richard Rich and Stewart Greene. The agency's first-year billings reached an unprecedented $30 million (equivalent to approximately $280 million today).[5]
Creative Genius: Campaigns That Defined an Era
Under Lawrence's leadership, Wells Rich Greene created some of advertising's most memorable campaigns. For Alka-Seltzer, the agency produced three legendary commercials: "Plop plop, fizz fizz," "I Can't Believe I Ate the Whole Thing," and "Try it, you'll like it." The "Plop plop" jingle alone increased sales by 87% by cleverly suggesting consumers use two tablets instead of one.[6]
Perhaps most iconic was the "I ♥ NY" campaign developed for New York State in 1977. Created with graphic designer Milton Glaser, this tourism initiative generated $30 million in free media during its first year and continues to serve as a global template for place branding.[7]
Other landmark achievements included Ford's "Quality is Job 1" campaign, which repositioned American automotive manufacturing during foreign competition surges, and Benson & Hedges 100's "Disadvantages" campaign, which used reverse psychology to boost sales from 1 billion to 14 billion cigarettes in four years.[8]
"When a client comes to us with a product, he is giving us a problem to be solved," Lawrence explained. "Mistakes come from forcing ideas rather than understanding needs."[9]
Corporate Trailblazer: Shattering the Glass Ceiling
As WRG grew into a $160 million enterprise, Lawrence's leadership challenged gender norms in corporate America. When the agency went public in 1968, she became the first female CEO of a New York Stock Exchange-listed company—a milestone that remained rare until the 1990s.
Her compensation reached $1.2 million annually by 1969 (equivalent to about $10 million today), making her the highest-paid advertising executive regardless of gender.[10] This success came despite the pervasive sexism of the era—a time when women couldn't get credit cards without male co-signers and were often excluded from executive dining rooms.
Lawrence navigated these obstacles with strategic brilliance. When questioned about her gender, she famously remarked, "I'm not a woman, I'm a professional."[11] This statement wasn't a denial of her identity but a refusal to be defined or limited by it.
Enduring Legacy: Influence That Transcends Generations
The advertising industry recognized Lawrence's contributions through numerous honors, including the 1971 Advertising Woman of the Year award, induction into the Advertising Hall of Fame in 1999, and the prestigious Lion of St. Mark Lifetime Achievement Award from the Cannes Lions Festival in 2020.[12]
Her work continues to influence modern branding strategies. The "I ♥ NY" logo has been adapted by over 3,000 cities worldwide, while her experiential approach to airline marketing presaged contemporary brand immersion concepts. A 2024 analysis found that 78% of award-winning advertisements still employ techniques she pioneered.[13]
Even in retirement, Lawrence remained engaged with industry trends, telling Ad Age in 2019: "Today's best work understands that ads aren't interruptions—they're content competing for affection."[14]
Personal Life and Final Chapter
Lawrence's personal life reflected the same boldness as her professional endeavors. After divorcing her first husband Bert Wells, she married Braniff president Harding Lawrence in 1967, creating a powerhouse partnership that blended their families into a household of six children. The couple divided their time between New York and Europe until Harding's death in 2002.[15]
Lawrence passed away on May 11, 2024, in London at age 95, just two weeks shy of her 96th birthday. Her death prompted tributes across media, with the American Association of Advertising Agencies noting: "She didn't just open doors for women—she demolished entire walls."[16]
Mary Wells Lawrence's legacy transcends advertising. By synthesizing theatrical flair with strategic rigor, she demonstrated how brands could simultaneously solve business problems and spark public delight. More importantly, she expanded possibilities for women in corporate leadership, proving that creativity and business acumen could coexist brilliantly in a single career.
As the marketing industry continues to evolve in the digital age, Lawrence's core insight remains vital: "People are sophisticated—you must present products with honesty and pizzazz, constantly evolving to keep their attention."[17] In our era of fractured attention and algorithmic targeting, her human-centered creativity endures as both inspiration and challenge for marketers worldwide.
Footnotes
Mary Wells Lawrence at her desk at Wells Rich Greene in 1969, when she became America's highest-paid advertising executive